Vessel management on Noosa River is the Noosa River Stakeholder Advisory Committee’s (NRSAC) highest priority.
NRSAC delivered a report to the Noosa Council general meeting on Monday, one year after the committee’s formation.
In response, councillors called for council staff to prepare a report that recommended an approach to vessel management that combined the ‘strategic intent’ of the Noosa Plan 2020 regarding natural amenity and landscape character with NRSAC advice.
Relevant issues to be included in council’s report were vessel clutter and congestion, impediments to river foreshore use by vessel mooring and anchoring, a management framework regulating anchoring, mooring and live-aboards and the use of the Environment Levy to fund river management.
An NRSAC spokesman told Council that committee members were very dissatisfied with the level of progress from the state government and council on river management.
While the state government has jurisdiction over the river, council has a role to play, he said.
Unregulating parking on Hilton Terrace, Tewantin, encouraged boat owners to anchor there and there were no controls over the usage of boat ramps, he said.
He said NRSAC had offered many solutions such as opportunities where mooring could be taken up and managed.
Audits conducted on vessels and mooring found many vessels were not used regularly and a lot of moorings were held at modest expense by people in case they wanted it in the future.
River anchoring is unregulated in the river but lawful, he said.
“Anyone can bring a boat into the Noosa river and anchor lawfully. There are no time limits on anchoring. You can bring your vessel in and leave it there forever,“ he said.
Live-aboards need to have a permit issued by Maritime Safety Queensland (MSQ) which must comply with conditions of approval that include seaworthiness and sewage management, he said.
The NRSAC spokesman said a MSQ proposal for the permanent reduction on speed limits of six knots in the lower reaches of the river which had drawn widespread public interest had sought opinion from the committee.
Council chief executive officer Scott Waters said there were areas within Council jurisdiction including management of the foreshore and advocacy.
Since the formation of the committee both co-chairs, the MSQ general manager and Council CEO, have departed with replacements having commenced on 22 February, and a new Council principal environment officer to begin on 15 March, which the committee expected would accelerate progress.
Council also invited a representative from the newly-formed Noosa Boating and Fishing Alliance and other interested parties to participate in the upcoming publicly advertised expression of interest process to fill two vacant spaces on NRSAC to have their voices heard.
A final decision by Council on the issue will be made at its Ordinary Meeting on Thursday evening.
